Review for The Odyssey of Fletcher by Erik Dargitz
The last man standing isn't always the biggest or bravest...sometimes it's just a skinny gamer who keeps finding ways to that next level.
The Odyssey of Fletcher belongs to that niche of dystopian novels that tries and answers the question: what if ‘x’ portion of the population suddenly disappears off the face of the Earth? It’s a niche I ravenously read but usually get burned by. This dystopian did have a bit of a burn in some places, but it was mostly the right kind and in the right places. I expected quite a few laughs based on the excerpt containing the first few pages. Author Erik Dargitz did deliver on those laughs, but I wasn’t quite prepared for some of the other feels along the way.
The titular character, Fletcher, somehow survives a devastating plague that attacks anyone with a Y chromosome. Every man in at least his immediate area is gone, except for him. The story largely expands on two central ideas: how he deals with the magnitude of that situation from a personal perspective, and how women perceive this less than stereotypical male hero. Despite the comedic presentation in places, the world built here doesn’t feel entirely unrealistic nor do the actions of its inhabitants. If anything, the more upbeat take than most dystopians I’ve read sets this one apart. It also lets the heavier elements and scenes feel like sucker punches by juxtaposition.
I can’t remember many novels that have been able to achieve what The Odyssey of Fletcher has. I liked Fletcher. And then I didn’t. And then I really liked Fletcher again. It’s already an uphill battle sometimes to get readers to relate to characters. Dargitz did that twice, even with the second mountain being larger in a lot of aspects than the first. I can’t fully explain it, but I believe it’s because he’s a walking mess of contradictions. From the strange mix of optimism amid self-deprecation to the real growth despite significant setbacks. He feels real enough to root for.
I highly recommend this title to fans of speculative fiction. A dystopian that comes across as smart, challenging, but never heavy-handed.
The Odyssey of Fletcher is available to buy on Amazon.